Por Frank Sabatini Jr.

One of the more titillating cocktails we recently discovered in Uptown will debut in conjunction with the opening of this year’s baseball season. It’s a creation you’ll find at Bankers Hill Bar + Restaurante by lead bartender Corey Thomas.

Named “Seventh-Inning Stretch,” the drink combines bourbon that’s been washed in peanut fat (a novelty to us) with house-made syrup made from Cracker Jacks (say what?), plus bitters and fresh lemon juice. It’s priced at $13 and will be available starting on March 26. Thomas said he’ll keep it on the drink list for two to three weeks, or until it sells out. 2202 Cuarta Avenida, 619-231-0222, bankershillsd.com.

Chef-owner Oz Blackaller of Cueva Bar in University Heights recently added pizzas made with beer dough to his menu. The 10-year-old bar and cafe is a destination for wine and tapas, as well as Mexican, South American and coastal cuisine.

Blackaller said he wanted to return to his pizza-making roots from when he lived on the East Coast years ago.

“My dough is handmade and I use a local lager in the recipe. It’s a trick I learned from a pizzeria in Virginia,” he added.

Two varieties of the 12-inch pizzas can be found on the regular menu—a salami version with marinara sauce and cheese; and a vegetarian pie with chimichurri sauce, mixed cheeses, roasted poblano peppers and portobello mushrooms. A rotation of specialty pizzas are available on the weekends.

Blackaller also revised his happy hour, which is now held from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. It’s when everything on the food, beer and wine menu is $2 off. 2123 Adams Ave., 619-269-6612,
cuevabar.com.

The eighth annual Bankers Hill Art & Craft Beer Festival will be held from 6 to 9 p.m., March 27, at The Abbey, an elegant and historic venue noted for its stained-glass windows and Greek-revival architecture.

This year’s event will feature unlimited 2-ounce beer pours from 15 different local craft breweries. They include Green Flash, Alpine Beer Company, Mikkeller Brewing, Latchkey Brewing Company, y más.

As attendees peruse a host of diverse works from San Diego-based artists, they can also enjoy complimentary food samples doled out onsite by neighborhood restaurants such as Wetstone Wine Bar, Cucina Urbana, Barrio Star, Jimmy Carter’s Mexican Cafe, and others.

The festival is presented by the Bankers Hill Business Group in partnership with the San Diego Brewer’s Guild. Monies from the event are used to promote area businesses and increase awareness of Bankers Hill. Tickets start at $30 per person. They can be purchased at the door or online. Attendees must be 21 years of age or older. 2825 Fifth Ave., bankershillbusinessgroup.com.

Despite its phone number being mysteriously out of service, the beloved Cantina Mayahuel in Normal Heights is fully up and running. In fact, the tequila-centric restaurant just added breakfast service to the operation, from 8 to 11:30 a.m., Tuesday through Saturday, and until 1 p.m. on Sundays.

The morning offerings include an egg torta with crema, Oaxaca cheese and house-made chipotle sauce; huevos rancheros served with a choice of Peruvian or black beans; eggs with mole sauce; and assorted omelets that come with beans or chilaquiles.

There are also a couple of intriguing juice shots, with one blending together ingredients such as turmeric, sage, cocoa nibs, matcha and pineapple juice. 2934 Adams Ave., cantinamayahuel.com.

Tap into your inner mathematician on this year’s Pi Day on March 14 at Compañía Pop Pie. in University Heights. The shop will feature several pies made in collaboration with local restaurants. Also, the first 50 guests in line, starting at 7 a.m., will receive a free hand pie exclusive to the celebration.

The Pi Day menu includes a “dirty flattop cheeseburger pie” co-created by The Friendly in North Park. There’s also a barbecue jackfruit mac-n-cheese pie inspired by Spoiled Vegans in the East Village, a green curry pie made by Pop Pie’s co-owner Gan Suebsarakham, and others.

Guests can also mosey next door into Pop Pie’s sister business, Stella Jean’s Ice Cream, to purchase from a hit parade of specialty flavors that aren’t always on the regular menu. They include “golden mylk,” banana pudding, and more. 4404 Park Blvd., 619-501-4440, poppieco.com.

— Frank Sabatini Jr. puede ser contactado en [email protected].